Penn Foster High School Alum Graduates from the Central Texas Police Academy

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. (KBTX) - The College Station Police Department announced Friday ten new officers. All of them graduated from the Central Texas Police Academy at TEEX.

Here's what the department said in a release:

The College Station Police Department is pleased to announce the addition of ten new officers. Six of these new hires graduated on December 2, 2016 from the 159th session of the Central Texas Police Academy conducted by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) where they completed a rigorous 728 hour academy. The remaining four hires have previously graduated from a police academy and/or have experience working as police officers. All ten officers were sworn into service this afternoon to make them official College Station Police Officers. They will move into a seven week orientation followed by a 17 week field training program before being assigned to a patrol shift.

Eric Aldava Jr - Eric is a 2012 graduate of Sam Rayburn High School in Pasadena. After high school, Eric played collegiate baseball for Texas Southern University and then Huston Tillotson University. At Huston Tillotson, Eric began taking criminal justice classes and quickly learned that he had a passion for the criminal justice field. As such, Eric self-enrolled in the University of Houston Downtown Police Academy.

Jason Austin – Jason was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He worked a variety of jobs after graduating high school. One of those jobs was in the oilfield industry, and it required him to travel throughout the United States. In 2009, the job brought him to the College Station. In 2010, Jason joined the Shreveport Police Department, where he worked for the next six years. After the decision to move back to College Station, Jason applied with the College Station Police Department where he could continue his passion of working with the community. Jason and his wife, Courtney have three children. Jason plans to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, while furthering his police career.

Jorge Castillo – Jorge was raised in Laredo, Texas. In 2012, Jorge moved to College Station to attend Texas A&M University where and received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree in December of 2015. Acting on his desire to serve his community, Jorge applied with College Station Police Department with hopes of fulfilling his lifelong desire to serve others. Jorge’s future plans include obtaining a Master’s Degree through the Bush School of Government as well as raising a family while continuing his service career.

Patrick Collins - Patrick grew up in a civic minded household with several family members holding public servant positions. Patrick graduated from high school in Tomball, Texas and shortly after joined the Magnolia Fire Department. In 2003, Patrick graduated from Houston Community College Fire Academy and has served 13 years as a firefighter. Though he has enjoyed serving the public in this role, Patrick desired a career in law enforcement. In September of 2016, Patrick completed the University of Houston- Downton Law Enforcement Academy. Impressed with the officers and staff of CSPD, as well as sense of community in the area, Patrick set his sights on a career with College Station. Patrick is married and expecting their first child soon.

Tyler Dawson - Tyler was born and raised in La Grange, Texas. After working 9 years in the power production industry as a control room operator, Tyler felt a desire to pursue a more challenging and rewarding career. Admiring police officers and the service they provide to the community eventually lead him to apply for a position at the College Station Police Department. Tyler looks forward to becoming involved in the College Station community and hopes to become an integral member of the police department.

Frank Muscarella Jr.- Though born in Hollywood Florida, Frank spent most of his adult life in the New York and Philadelphia areas. Frank proudly served in the United States Air Force. Over the past twenty years, he was employed in the aviation industry, which has afforded him the opportunity to travel abroad and gain experience all over the world. Frank, along with his wife and son recently moved to College Station where his wife has strong family and community ties. Having always looked upon the profession of law enforcement with great respect, Frank decided to pursue his life-long desire to work in that profession. Frank is excited to have realized that goal and looks forward to selflessly serving the citizens of College Station and serving as a role model through his service and actions.

Dakota Norris - Dakota is a 2012 graduate of Kerens High School. Following high school he attended Blinn College then transferred to Sam Houston State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice this May 2016. While attending Sam Houston, Dakota worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a correctional officer. Dakota enjoyed the corrections system, but he decided to pursue his goal of a career as a police officer.
Dakota stated that he chose to live and work in College Station because of the community and traditions embodied by the city.

Chance Patterson - Chance is a 2014 graduate of Queen City High School in northeast Texas. Following graduation, Chance began taking classes from Tekarkana Community College and was hired by the Miller County Sheriff’s Department as a correctional officer. Recognizing that law enforcement was his calling, Chance enrolled in the East Texas Police Academy at Kilgore College, and graduated in July 2016. Chance looks forward to furthering his education in the Criminal Justice system and also to serving the citizens and visitors of College Station.

Troy Reddehase - Troy is a 2012 graduate from Penn Foster online high school. Throughout his high school years, Troy worked full time for his family’s business. Troy attended night classes at the University of Houston Downtown’s police academy while working full time. In 2014, Troy graduated the academy and was hired by the Magnolia Police Department where he worked for almost two years. In 2016, Troy moved to College Station with his fiancé. While living in College Station he was able to learn more about the College Station Police Department, was impressed with the professionalism of the agency and decided to broaden his career by joining the CSPD family.

Blaine Schafer – Blaine was born in Austin, TX. but moved to Yoakum, TX. at the age of eleven. He graduated high school in 2008 and went on to marry his high school sweetheart. In 2009 Blaine joined to US Coast Guard and was assigned to Port O’Conner, where he worked in a law enforcement capacity boarding vessels and specialized in search and rescue. In 2012 Blaine was rated as a Gunners mate and assigned to the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey as a firearms instructor. Upon completion of his honorable service in 2015, Blaine moved back to Texas to pursue his interest in law enforcement and self-enrolled in the TEEX Police Academy. After witnessing the comradery among the officers during a visit to the College Station Police Department, Blaine decided to apply. Blaine’s future goals included finishing a college degree and becoming a firearms instructor for the department.

The new officers were sworn in by City of College Station Municipal Judge Ed Spillane and will now begin their orientation and field training program. The College Station Police Department is honored to welcome these new officers to our law enforcement family.

Baltimore, MarylandMeet with Penn Foster at the Advance CTE Fall Meeting to learn more about our online education and skills training solutions and our work with hundreds of workforce training organizations and colleges across the country.

Chicago, IllinoisStop by Booth #303 at Staffing World, the largest convention and expo in the staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry, to learn more about Penn Foster’s online education and skills training solutions.